Francis Ormond
Encyclopedia
Francis Ormond was a Scottish
-born Australian pastoralist, member of the Parliament of Victoria
and philanthropist
in the areas of education and religion.
Ormond is notable for founding the Working Men's College of Melbourne
, which became the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
(RMIT), and for endowing the position of Ormond Professor of Music and donating the majority of funds towards the establishment of Ormond College, both at the University of Melbourne
.
, Scotland
, the only son of three children to British Merchant Navy sailor, Captain Francis Ormond Sr., and Isabella (née Esson). He was educated at the Tyzack's Academy in Liverpool
, England
, after his father moved his family to the major shipping city to further his career, circa 1835.
Ormond's father adopted an early interest in Britain's southern colonies, which came from stories he heard of the expedition of Hume and Hovel and of Australia Felix
. In command of the merchant vessel
John Bull, Captain Ormond was the first to transport British settlers to the newly founded settlement of Melbourne
– in the south-east of the Colony of New South Wales
– arriving in the bay of Port Phillip
in 1840. Upon his first landing in Melbourne, he was so impressed by the pastoralism
opportunities the settlement presented, he began plans to move his family to the colony. He purchased the barque
Tuscan the following year, and set sail with his family for the fledgling Port Phillip District
.
When the Ormonds arrived in Melbourne
in 1842, they found the district in the midst of a trade
crisis. The crisis was caused by dissent some other districts of New South Wales
held for the Port Phillip District
– which had attempted to become an independent colony in 1840 – and many novice pastoralists neglecting their interests, and spending most of their time in the burgeoning settlement of Melbourne. This had led to a considerable depreciation in the pastoralism industry, with sheep once costing 35 shillings (≈ A$
200 today) being sold for 18 pence
(≈ A$
10 today), and sometimes less.
Discouraged by the economic state of the Port Phillip District
, the Ormonds then sailed to the Colony of New Zealand
, after hearing positive reports about the islands. However, there they were met with heightened tension between British settlers and the indigenous Māori tribes. His father unsure of what to do, Ormond accompanied him to meet with a former passenger of the John Bull who counselled them and suggested they return to the Port Phillip District.
, in 1843 Capt. Ormond took a seven year lease on 20 acres (80,937 m²) of land near Geelong (near what is the present day site of Shelford
). As part of his lease agreement, he was to "improve the land and build a substantial inn
". He established the Settler's Arms Inn (which was affectionately known as Ormond's Inn) on the site - becoming the first inn on the trade route from Geelong to Hamilton
- which prospered due to its location. The younger Ormond worked as a book keeper at his father's inn, who had intended for him to later train in commerce
in the counting house
of a merchant
in Geelong.
However, in 1847 Captain Ormond was presented with the opportunity to purchase the small sheep station
Mopiamnum near Piggoreet, south-west of Ballarat, for a considerably low price. With the lease not up on his inn, he placed his confidence in the younger Ormond and made him the station manager at age 19. The land of Mopiamnum was poor, and much of it was covered with thick scrub which made it very difficult for him to maintain the flock of sheep, in addition to constant attacks by dingo
es which inhabited the scrubland. Despite all this, he endured the physical hardships of the land and in his spare time found happiness in the study of classical literature and self improvement.
Through Ormond's perseverance Mopiamnum prospered, and more assistance was required to manage the land. In 1850, he hired a number of station hands only to discover that the majority of them were quite uneducated. Since they had never had the opportunity of an education, he took it upon himself start a class for his employees. He devoted almost every evening to their tutorage, until the time came for them to leave his employment, to which they did with a useful level of education.
. With the help of his station hands he also "rode the post" for the Geelong region, in addition to his pastoral duties. Later that year, he was then able to purchase the neighbouring property Ghirangemerajah, north of Lismore
. Now with a sizable staff of station hands, he was able to effectively manage his second property from his base at Mopiamnum.
On 6 February 1851, the "Black Thursday" bushfires - one of the worst fires in Australian colonial history
- passed over Mopiamnum. While Ormond worked to exhaustion to save some of his flock, the station and much of its grazing land were completely engulfed by the blaze, including the scrub which covered much of the land. When the rains followed shortly after they renewed the previously worthless scrubland into prime grazing land, which raised the value of Mopiamnum substantially.
Ormond sold the land for an advance on the original price his father had paid and, later that year, also sold his second property Ghirangemerajah. He paid his father for Mopiamnum in full and purchased the 30,000 acre
(121,405,692 m²) station Borriyalloak near Skipton
, east of Piggoreet, along with its flocks of merino sheep. On 2 August 1851, gold
was discovered in Ballarat, marking the beginning of the Victorian Gold Rush
- one of the biggest gold rush
es in the world - which once again raised the value of Ormond's land. With his financial position assured, on 23 November 1851 (his 24th birthday) he married Ann Greeves, the daughter of a distinguished doctor in the district, at the Christ Church in Geelong.
, and regularly sat on the Common Bench of towns close to Borriyalloak at Skipton
, Linton
, Carngham and Chepstowe. He was known as a thoughtful magistrate, devoted to the duties of his office. In 1855, he and two other prominent land owners in the area formed the Skipton Agricultural and Pastoral Association - the first of its kind in the district. The association's annual show became an important event for the district, creating keen competition between pastoralists in the district and contributing to the widespread fame of Australian merino wool.
During the mid-1850s, Ormond continued with the educational work he'd began in 1850 and started a class for the children of his employees at Borriyalloak, who were often left on their own while their parents worked the land and not privileged to an education. Ormond was also a devout Presbyterian, and in 1856 - after a town meeting in Skipton
- he began lengthy talks with the Presbytery of Melbourne, calling for the establishment of a parish
in Skipton. He persevered in 1857, when a small brick church was constructed in the town and a minister finally consigned to the newly devised Parish of Mount Emu Creek/Skipton.
As a magistrate
, Ormond investigated a murder
that took place near Ballarat in 1858, and concluded that the death of the man in question was accidental. However, unknown to him, his findings were never presented at the trial. Some time later, he read in the newspaper that the man accused had been sent to appear at the Supreme Court of Victoria
in Melbourne
and found guilty by a jury
. After reading that the man had been sentenced to death by hanging
, to take place in two days, he ordered his best horses to be saddled and hastily made the long and difficult journey to the city.
Ormond rode all night and the following day, crossing bridgeless and flooded rivers, to arrive in Melbourne
on the evening before the hanging was to take place. He immediately went to the office of the Attorney-General, who told him it was too late for anything to be done. However, Ormond demanded the Attorney-General relentlessly to view the documents of his findings. When he eventually yielded and went through the documentation, sighting the grave miscarriage of justice
, he immediately postponed the hanging pending a full investigation. The man accused's innocence was later proven and his pardon ordered by the Governor of Victoria, Sir Henry Barkly.
, he was impressed by an appeal he had heard by Thomas Guthrie
on behalf of the Ragged Schools charity. Upon his return to Victoria
, he began to take a greater interest in philanthropic endeavours. His first substantial donation was in 1872, when he donation £1,000 towards the establishment of a scholarship
at the Presbyterian Theological Hall
in Melbourne
.
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After his father died in 1875, Ormond and his wife moved from Skipton
to Melbourne. He purchased the mansion
house, "Ognez", in Toorak
, and later assisted with the establishment of the Presbyterian Church of Toorak. Ormond was a devout Presbyterian, and also an elder within the church. When the question of establishing a Presbyterian college at the University of Melbourne
was raised in 1877, he pledged £10,000 to the appeal. At the opening of the college on 18 March in 1881, it was announced that it would be officially named Ormond College, in honour of his major contribution. Over his lifetime, Ormond donated almost £40,000 towards its complete construction.
. His late wife was a member of the Church of England
and, in memoriam, he anonymously donated £5,000 towards the construction of St Paul's Cathedral
in Melbourne
. The donation financed the completion of its central tower and its western tower. In 1881, he purchased a large section of James Balfour's 45000 acres (182.1 km²) "Round Hill Station" near Albury
in New South Wales
, naming his section "Kirndeen Station". He also further expanded his Victorian
land holdings at his "Bangal Station" in Skipton
.
In 1881, Ormond was appointed a member of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Education Act. He refused the position of Commission Chairman, due to his advocacy of religious education
in state schools, but accepted a general position with the Commission. Ormond encouraged the creation of the Technological Commission, which was later responsible for the introduction of technical education into state schools. He also proposed the idea of a technical college for Melbourne
. He pledged £5000 towards the proposal, on the provision that the government supply a site and trade union
s contribute the majority of funds. However, the proposal was met with little support from the Commission, and was subsequently dropped.
in Melbourne
, in 1882. However, like his technical college proposal, it was met with little support. He stood for the Parliament of Victoria
in 1882, and was subsequently elected the Member
of the Legislative Council
for the South-Western Province. With his new political status, Ormond revived his technical college proposal, which received approval in late 1882. He remarried on 1 October 1885, to Mary (née Oliphant) in London
, while visiting technical colleges and music colleges in Europe
to examine their methods and practices. Also in 1885, he became a key contributor of the proposed Gordon Memorial Technical College
in Geelong.
During his first four trips to Europe
, Ormond visited a number of technical colleges, to examined their methods and practices. He set out to apply the best of these methods and practices to a model for a similar college in Victoria
.
One result of this was his conviction that a working men's college would serve a very useful purpose, and he intimated that if the government would provide a site he would give £5000 towards the building. He met with no encouragement, and the scheme was temporarily dropped.
In May the question of a Working Men's College was revived. He again offered £5000 and, after some preliminary difficulties had been disposed of, the college was at last opened in June 1887. There were 320 students on the opening night, within 12 months the number had risen to over 1000. The number of students reached nearly 10,000 in 1938. Later known as the Royal Melbourne Technical College and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, it's known today as RMIT University
and is one of Australia's largest and leading universities.
Ormond found there was much difference of opinion in Melbourne concerning the wisest way of using his proposed donation, and very little response had come to the appeal for funds to found scholarships. However, the money was eventually raised and in May 1887 the Ormond chair of music at the university of Melbourne was founded.
Ormond had no children, but adopted two girls and a boy.
On his fifth visit to Europe Ormond had a rapid physical breakdown ascribed to overwork and died at Pau, South France, on 5 May 1889. His body was sent to Melbourne and after a service at Scots Church and a large procession to Spencer Street was taken by train to Geelong where he was buried on 7 September. He was survived by his wife who died in 1925.
, Ormond Hall at the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind, RMIT's Francis Ormond Building (the former Working Men's College), Ormond College at the University of Melbourne, Ormond Road in Geelong and the Melbourne
suburb of Ormond
are all named in his honour.
A bronze statue of Francis Ormond stands outside RMIT's Francis Ormond Building on La Trobe Street
in Melbourne
.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
-born Australian pastoralist, member of the Parliament of Victoria
Parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria; the Legislative Council ; and the Legislative Assembly...
and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
in the areas of education and religion.
Ormond is notable for founding the Working Men's College of Melbourne
Working Men's College of Melbourne
The Working Men's College of Melbourne was an Australian college of further education located in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1887 by a prominent Victorian parliamentarian and philanthropist, Francis Ormond....
, which became the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
(RMIT), and for endowing the position of Ormond Professor of Music and donating the majority of funds towards the establishment of Ormond College, both at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
.
Early life and voyage to Australia
Francis Ormond was born in AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the only son of three children to British Merchant Navy sailor, Captain Francis Ormond Sr., and Isabella (née Esson). He was educated at the Tyzack's Academy in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, after his father moved his family to the major shipping city to further his career, circa 1835.
Ormond's father adopted an early interest in Britain's southern colonies, which came from stories he heard of the expedition of Hume and Hovel and of Australia Felix
Australia Felix
On this expedition Mitchell was instructed to travel to Menindee, then down the Darling River to the sea, if it flowed there; or, if it flowed into the Murray River to go up the Murray to the inhabited parts of the colony....
. In command of the merchant vessel
Merchant vessel
A merchant vessel is a ship that transports cargo or passengers. The closely related term commercial vessel is defined by the United States Coast Guard as any vessel engaged in commercial trade or that carries passengers for hire...
John Bull, Captain Ormond was the first to transport British settlers to the newly founded settlement of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
– in the south-east of the Colony of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
– arriving in the bay of Port Phillip
Port Phillip
Port Phillip Port Phillip Port Phillip (also commonly referred to as Port Phillip Bay or (locally) just The Bay, is a large bay in southern Victoria, Australia; it is the location of Melbourne. Geographically, the bay covers and the shore stretches roughly . Although it is extremely shallow for...
in 1840. Upon his first landing in Melbourne, he was so impressed by the pastoralism
Pastoralism
Pastoralism or pastoral farming is the branch of agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock. It is animal husbandry: the care, tending and use of animals such as camels, goats, cattle, yaks, llamas, and sheep. It may have a mobile aspect, moving the herds in search of fresh pasture and...
opportunities the settlement presented, he began plans to move his family to the colony. He purchased the barque
Barque
A barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
Tuscan the following year, and set sail with his family for the fledgling Port Phillip District
Port Phillip District
The Port Phillip District was an historical administrative division of the Colony of New South Wales, existing from September 1836 until 1 July 1851, when it was separated from New South Wales and became the Colony of Victoria....
.
When the Ormonds arrived in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1842, they found the district in the midst of a trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
crisis. The crisis was caused by dissent some other districts of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
held for the Port Phillip District
Port Phillip District
The Port Phillip District was an historical administrative division of the Colony of New South Wales, existing from September 1836 until 1 July 1851, when it was separated from New South Wales and became the Colony of Victoria....
– which had attempted to become an independent colony in 1840 – and many novice pastoralists neglecting their interests, and spending most of their time in the burgeoning settlement of Melbourne. This had led to a considerable depreciation in the pastoralism industry, with sheep once costing 35 shillings (≈ A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
200 today) being sold for 18 pence
Penny (British pre-decimal coin)
The penny of the Kingdom of Great Britain and later of the United Kingdom, was in circulation from the early 18th century until February 1971, Decimal Day....
(≈ A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
10 today), and sometimes less.
Discouraged by the economic state of the Port Phillip District
Port Phillip District
The Port Phillip District was an historical administrative division of the Colony of New South Wales, existing from September 1836 until 1 July 1851, when it was separated from New South Wales and became the Colony of Victoria....
, the Ormonds then sailed to the Colony of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, after hearing positive reports about the islands. However, there they were met with heightened tension between British settlers and the indigenous Māori tribes. His father unsure of what to do, Ormond accompanied him to meet with a former passenger of the John Bull who counselled them and suggested they return to the Port Phillip District.
Settlement in the Port Phillip District
After the Ormonds returned to MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, in 1843 Capt. Ormond took a seven year lease on 20 acres (80,937 m²) of land near Geelong (near what is the present day site of Shelford
Shelford, Victoria
Shelford is a rural locality in Victoria, Australia. The locality is in the Golden Plains Shire near the regional city of Geelong and west of the state capital, Melbourne.The Post Office opened on 1 July 1847 as The Leigh and was renamed Shelford in 1854....
). As part of his lease agreement, he was to "improve the land and build a substantial inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
". He established the Settler's Arms Inn (which was affectionately known as Ormond's Inn) on the site - becoming the first inn on the trade route from Geelong to Hamilton
Hamilton, Victoria
Hamilton is a city in western Victoria, Australia. It is located at the intersection of the Glenelg Highway and the Henty Highway...
- which prospered due to its location. The younger Ormond worked as a book keeper at his father's inn, who had intended for him to later train in commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
in the counting house
Counting house
A counting house, or compting house, literally is the building, room, office or suite in which a business firm carries on operations, particularly accounting. By a synecdoche, it has come to mean the accounting operations of a firm, however housed...
of a merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
in Geelong.
However, in 1847 Captain Ormond was presented with the opportunity to purchase the small sheep station
Sheep station
A sheep station is a large property in Australia or New Zealand whose main activity is the raising of sheep for their wool and meat. In Australia, sheep stations are usually in the south-east or south-west of the country. In New Zealand the Merinos are usually in the high country of the South...
Mopiamnum near Piggoreet, south-west of Ballarat, for a considerably low price. With the lease not up on his inn, he placed his confidence in the younger Ormond and made him the station manager at age 19. The land of Mopiamnum was poor, and much of it was covered with thick scrub which made it very difficult for him to maintain the flock of sheep, in addition to constant attacks by dingo
Dingo
The Australian Dingo or Warrigal is a free-roaming wild dog unique to the continent of Australia, mainly found in the outback. Its original ancestors are thought to have arrived with humans from southeast Asia thousands of years ago, when dogs were still relatively undomesticated and closer to...
es which inhabited the scrubland. Despite all this, he endured the physical hardships of the land and in his spare time found happiness in the study of classical literature and self improvement.
Through Ormond's perseverance Mopiamnum prospered, and more assistance was required to manage the land. In 1850, he hired a number of station hands only to discover that the majority of them were quite uneducated. Since they had never had the opportunity of an education, he took it upon himself start a class for his employees. He devoted almost every evening to their tutorage, until the time came for them to leave his employment, to which they did with a useful level of education.
Pastoral wealth
As a way of raising capital to improve his flock, in 1850 he accepted a tender for the arduous task of the carriage of mailMail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
. With the help of his station hands he also "rode the post" for the Geelong region, in addition to his pastoral duties. Later that year, he was then able to purchase the neighbouring property Ghirangemerajah, north of Lismore
Lismore, Victoria
Lismore is a town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Hamilton Highway west of Melbourne. It is part of the Corangamite Shire local government area.The town is located at a point equidistant from Geelong and Warrnambool....
. Now with a sizable staff of station hands, he was able to effectively manage his second property from his base at Mopiamnum.
On 6 February 1851, the "Black Thursday" bushfires - one of the worst fires in Australian colonial history
History of Australia
The History of Australia refers to the history of the area and people of Commonwealth of Australia and its preceding Indigenous and colonial societies. Aboriginal Australians are believed to have first arrived on the Australian mainland by boat from the Indonesian archipelago between 40,000 to...
- passed over Mopiamnum. While Ormond worked to exhaustion to save some of his flock, the station and much of its grazing land were completely engulfed by the blaze, including the scrub which covered much of the land. When the rains followed shortly after they renewed the previously worthless scrubland into prime grazing land, which raised the value of Mopiamnum substantially.
Ormond sold the land for an advance on the original price his father had paid and, later that year, also sold his second property Ghirangemerajah. He paid his father for Mopiamnum in full and purchased the 30,000 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
(121,405,692 m²) station Borriyalloak near Skipton
Skipton, Victoria
Skipton is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is situated on the Glenelg Highway 166 kilometres west of the state capital, Melbourne and 52 kilometres south west of the regional centre, Ballarat. Part of Corangamite Shire Local government area, Skipton is on the banks...
, east of Piggoreet, along with its flocks of merino sheep. On 2 August 1851, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
was discovered in Ballarat, marking the beginning of the Victorian Gold Rush
Victorian gold rush
The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria, Australia approximately between 1851 and the late 1860s. In 10 years the Australian population nearly tripled.- Overview :During this era Victoria dominated the world's gold output...
- one of the biggest gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
es in the world - which once again raised the value of Ormond's land. With his financial position assured, on 23 November 1851 (his 24th birthday) he married Ann Greeves, the daughter of a distinguished doctor in the district, at the Christ Church in Geelong.
Early philanthropic endeavours
In 1853, Ormond was made a territorial magistrateMagistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
, and regularly sat on the Common Bench of towns close to Borriyalloak at Skipton
Skipton, Victoria
Skipton is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is situated on the Glenelg Highway 166 kilometres west of the state capital, Melbourne and 52 kilometres south west of the regional centre, Ballarat. Part of Corangamite Shire Local government area, Skipton is on the banks...
, Linton
Linton, Victoria
Linton is a town in Victoria, Australia off Glenelg Highway. It was first settled about 1840. The town was named after a pioneer family in an area. At the 2006 census, Linton had a population of 355. The Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary lies to the south-east of the township, near Springdallah Creek.-...
, Carngham and Chepstowe. He was known as a thoughtful magistrate, devoted to the duties of his office. In 1855, he and two other prominent land owners in the area formed the Skipton Agricultural and Pastoral Association - the first of its kind in the district. The association's annual show became an important event for the district, creating keen competition between pastoralists in the district and contributing to the widespread fame of Australian merino wool.
During the mid-1850s, Ormond continued with the educational work he'd began in 1850 and started a class for the children of his employees at Borriyalloak, who were often left on their own while their parents worked the land and not privileged to an education. Ormond was also a devout Presbyterian, and in 1856 - after a town meeting in Skipton
Skipton, Victoria
Skipton is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is situated on the Glenelg Highway 166 kilometres west of the state capital, Melbourne and 52 kilometres south west of the regional centre, Ballarat. Part of Corangamite Shire Local government area, Skipton is on the banks...
- he began lengthy talks with the Presbytery of Melbourne, calling for the establishment of a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in Skipton. He persevered in 1857, when a small brick church was constructed in the town and a minister finally consigned to the newly devised Parish of Mount Emu Creek/Skipton.
As a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
, Ormond investigated a murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
that took place near Ballarat in 1858, and concluded that the death of the man in question was accidental. However, unknown to him, his findings were never presented at the trial. Some time later, he read in the newspaper that the man accused had been sent to appear at the Supreme Court of Victoria
Supreme Court of Victoria
The Supreme Court of Victoria is the superior court for the State of Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1852, and is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited jurisdiction within the state...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and found guilty by a jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
. After reading that the man had been sentenced to death by hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
, to take place in two days, he ordered his best horses to be saddled and hastily made the long and difficult journey to the city.
Ormond rode all night and the following day, crossing bridgeless and flooded rivers, to arrive in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on the evening before the hanging was to take place. He immediately went to the office of the Attorney-General, who told him it was too late for anything to be done. However, Ormond demanded the Attorney-General relentlessly to view the documents of his findings. When he eventually yielded and went through the documentation, sighting the grave miscarriage of justice
Miscarriage of justice
A miscarriage of justice primarily is the conviction and punishment of a person for a crime they did not commit. The term can also apply to errors in the other direction—"errors of impunity", and to civil cases. Most criminal justice systems have some means to overturn, or "quash", a wrongful...
, he immediately postponed the hanging pending a full investigation. The man accused's innocence was later proven and his pardon ordered by the Governor of Victoria, Sir Henry Barkly.
First European tour
As his wealth grew, Ormond continued to take an interest in education and even established a school on his station for the children of his employees. In 1860, during a trip to EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, he was impressed by an appeal he had heard by Thomas Guthrie
Thomas Guthrie
Thomas Guthrie D.D. was a Scottish divine and philanthropist, born at Brechin in Angus . He was one of the most popular preachers of his day in Scotland, and was associated with many forms of philanthropy - especially temperance and Ragged Schools, of which he was a founder.He studied at Edinburgh...
on behalf of the Ragged Schools charity. Upon his return to Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, he began to take a greater interest in philanthropic endeavours. His first substantial donation was in 1872, when he donation £1,000 towards the establishment of a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
at the Presbyterian Theological Hall
Presbyterian Theological College
The Presbyterian Theological College is the theological college of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. It provides theological education for candidates for the ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, as well as for members of all Christian churches...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Ormond College
Skipton, Victoria
Skipton is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is situated on the Glenelg Highway 166 kilometres west of the state capital, Melbourne and 52 kilometres south west of the regional centre, Ballarat. Part of Corangamite Shire Local government area, Skipton is on the banks...
to Melbourne. He purchased the mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
house, "Ognez", in Toorak
Toorak, Victoria
Toorak is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district located on a rise on the south side of a bend in the Yarra River. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington...
, and later assisted with the establishment of the Presbyterian Church of Toorak. Ormond was a devout Presbyterian, and also an elder within the church. When the question of establishing a Presbyterian college at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
was raised in 1877, he pledged £10,000 to the appeal. At the opening of the college on 18 March in 1881, it was announced that it would be officially named Ormond College, in honour of his major contribution. Over his lifetime, Ormond donated almost £40,000 towards its complete construction.
First wife's death
Ormond's wife, Mary Ann, died on 6 July 1881, at their home in ToorakToorak, Victoria
Toorak is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district located on a rise on the south side of a bend in the Yarra River. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington...
. His late wife was a member of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and, in memoriam, he anonymously donated £5,000 towards the construction of St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne
St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, is the metropolitical and cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, Victoria in Australia. It is the seat of the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne and Metropolitan of the Province of Victoria...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. The donation financed the completion of its central tower and its western tower. In 1881, he purchased a large section of James Balfour's 45000 acres (182.1 km²) "Round Hill Station" near Albury
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, naming his section "Kirndeen Station". He also further expanded his Victorian
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
land holdings at his "Bangal Station" in Skipton
Skipton, Victoria
Skipton is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is situated on the Glenelg Highway 166 kilometres west of the state capital, Melbourne and 52 kilometres south west of the regional centre, Ballarat. Part of Corangamite Shire Local government area, Skipton is on the banks...
.
In 1881, Ormond was appointed a member of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Education Act. He refused the position of Commission Chairman, due to his advocacy of religious education
Religious education
In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion and its varied aspects —its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles...
in state schools, but accepted a general position with the Commission. Ormond encouraged the creation of the Technological Commission, which was later responsible for the introduction of technical education into state schools. He also proposed the idea of a technical college for Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. He pledged £5000 towards the proposal, on the provision that the government supply a site and trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s contribute the majority of funds. However, the proposal was met with little support from the Commission, and was subsequently dropped.
Election to parliament
Ormond also tried to establish a music collegeMusic College
Music Colleges were introduced in 2004 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in England. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, music. Schools that successfully apply to the Specialist Schools Trust and become Music Colleges will receive extra...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, in 1882. However, like his technical college proposal, it was met with little support. He stood for the Parliament of Victoria
Parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria; the Legislative Council ; and the Legislative Assembly...
in 1882, and was subsequently elected the Member
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
of the Legislative Council
Victorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
for the South-Western Province. With his new political status, Ormond revived his technical college proposal, which received approval in late 1882. He remarried on 1 October 1885, to Mary (née Oliphant) in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, while visiting technical colleges and music colleges in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to examine their methods and practices. Also in 1885, he became a key contributor of the proposed Gordon Memorial Technical College
Gordon Institute of TAFE
The Gordon Institute of TAFE is the TAFE institute servicing Geelong since 1888. It has 26,000 students studying on-campus, off-campus and in business or industry ....
in Geelong.
Ormond's "Working Men's College"
During his first four trips to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Ormond visited a number of technical colleges, to examined their methods and practices. He set out to apply the best of these methods and practices to a model for a similar college in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.
One result of this was his conviction that a working men's college would serve a very useful purpose, and he intimated that if the government would provide a site he would give £5000 towards the building. He met with no encouragement, and the scheme was temporarily dropped.
In May the question of a Working Men's College was revived. He again offered £5000 and, after some preliminary difficulties had been disposed of, the college was at last opened in June 1887. There were 320 students on the opening night, within 12 months the number had risen to over 1000. The number of students reached nearly 10,000 in 1938. Later known as the Royal Melbourne Technical College and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, it's known today as RMIT University
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
and is one of Australia's largest and leading universities.
Later life and death
In the 1880s, after he tried to found a college of music in Melbourne; when other assistance was not forthcoming he gave £20,000 to found the Ormond chair of music at the university.Ormond found there was much difference of opinion in Melbourne concerning the wisest way of using his proposed donation, and very little response had come to the appeal for funds to found scholarships. However, the money was eventually raised and in May 1887 the Ormond chair of music at the university of Melbourne was founded.
Ormond had no children, but adopted two girls and a boy.
On his fifth visit to Europe Ormond had a rapid physical breakdown ascribed to overwork and died at Pau, South France, on 5 May 1889. His body was sent to Melbourne and after a service at Scots Church and a large procession to Spencer Street was taken by train to Geelong where he was buried on 7 September. He was survived by his wife who died in 1925.
The Ormond legacy
The Ormond Chair of Music at the University of MelbourneUniversity of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, Ormond Hall at the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind, RMIT's Francis Ormond Building (the former Working Men's College), Ormond College at the University of Melbourne, Ormond Road in Geelong and the Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
suburb of Ormond
Ormond, Victoria
Ormond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Glen Eira. At the 2006 Census, Ormond had a population of 7152....
are all named in his honour.
A bronze statue of Francis Ormond stands outside RMIT's Francis Ormond Building on La Trobe Street
La Trobe Street, Melbourne
La Trobe Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs roughly from east to west and forms the northern boundary of the CBD ....
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
See also
- Royal Melbourne Institute of TechnologyRMIT UniversityRMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
- Ormond College (University of Melbourne)Ormond College (University of Melbourne)Ormond College is the largest of the residential colleges of the University of Melbourne. It is home to 332 undergraduates, 30 postgraduates and 27 professorial/academic residents.-Establishment:...
- Gordon Institute of TAFEGordon Institute of TAFEThe Gordon Institute of TAFE is the TAFE institute servicing Geelong since 1888. It has 26,000 students studying on-campus, off-campus and in business or industry ....
- Ormond, VictoriaOrmond, VictoriaOrmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Glen Eira. At the 2006 Census, Ormond had a population of 7152....